Stockholm, Statistically Speaking
by EliseRedding
Summary: Charlie is late to the bank. When he arrives, he gets a shock that he might necessarily not be able to handle. COMPLETE.
1. chapter one arrival

Disclaimer: I do not own numb3rs.

Peddling as fast as he could, Charlie whirled through the streets of LA, attempting to make it to the bank in time. He quickly approached the bank and flew off his bike, landing, throwing the bike down. Charlie grabbed his bag, piffling through it, searching for his papers. Alan needed his check cashed by tonight, and Charlie had forgotten on his way home. He finally found the check and turned to the bank. There was a man closing the door. Charlie swore to himself and grabbed the door, "NO! Not yet! please! Let me cash this check!"

The man bit his lip, looking nervous and Charlie seemed confused. Charlie sighed, "PLease, let me inside. I need to cash this check."

The man opened the door a bit more, "Are you a cop?"

"What? No. Why?" Charlie was caught off guard when three things happened more quickly than Charlie could register. Charlie's name was yelled from behind him, The man opened the door and pulled him inside, and Charlie saw Don and several FBI agents rushing towards the door. Charlie looked at Don's face, which was full of absolute fear. Charlie suddenly, after registering what was happening, began to struggle. The man holding him placed a gun at his temple. Don was at the door, the brothers watching each other. The man with the gun yelled, "BACK AWAY... BACK AWAY!"

Don lifted his hands, "let him go..."

"Don, what's happening?" Charlie shakily said.

The man thrust the gun harder into Charlie's temple and hissed into his ear, "You keep silent. Why do you know him? He's a fed, and you said you weren't. Perhaps your fed friends want to see you dead."

Don was watching the exchange and Charlie whispered out, "he's my brother... please, don't hurt me."

The man sighed, "You said you wanted in. This isn't my fault. I'm sorry." The man turned to Don, "Get back or your baby brother here dies."

Don glared and despite all his desires to tear apart the man holding Charlie, Don complied and walked back. The man locked the bank door and walked in, holding Charlie against him, gun still in place. The man looked around the bank, noting the amount of people. There were three employees and no customers. Four hostages in total. "EVERYBODY... move," The man said, "To this wall. sit there, or i'll shoot you."

Charlie was shaking. He had walked into a bank heist, as well as messed with one of Don's cases. Don was going to kill him. The man shoved Charlie to the ground, and Charlie fell, slamming his knee. He winced and looked up to see the barrel of the gun. "What's your name?"

"Ch-Charlie..."

"Charlie. You're my star tonight. You've got the brother out there, you know him the best, You're going to be my information."

Charlie shook his head, "I...I don't know... I don't think so... i think... no... you can't get away with this..."

The man bent down and CHarlie got a good look at him. His eyes were large and brown, almost overpowering his small mouth and nose. He had dark, almost black, brown hair, and looked young. The man hissed, "You'll do as I say, Charlie, or I'll kill you, or, I'll walk to the window and aim at Dan."

"His name is Don."

The man laughed, "Whatever. Don. You like Don?"

"He'll get me out of this."

The man smirked, "You sure about that?"

Charlie took a deep breath, "yes."

The man shook his head and with his free hand punched Charlie in the face. Charlie, not expecting it, flew back slamming into the wall. He, intelligently, remained huddled where he landed. The Man stood and began to march up and down the line of hostages. "You see what happens to those who I don't like? Be good, do as I say, and you'll live. If I want you to."

Don watched through the window, seeing Charlie fall to the ground. He immediately got up to move when hands held him back. "Don!" Terry's voice said, "Stop. You know you can't do anything."

"Get him on the phone! I want to talk to him now!" Don yelled.

Terry moved to stand in front of Don, "Who? Charlie or Bryant?"

Don tried to look around Terry before saying, "both. I want to talk to that asshole Bryant, figure out his demands, and talk to Charlie. If he touches Charlie again, I'll kill him."

Terry hated the look in Don's eyes and sighed, "We'll do what we can, Don, but right now Charlie is a hostage, and if we act out of order, he could die. Do you want that?"

Don's head snapped up, "Of course not, Terry, what do you think?"

"Then keep your head."

Don nodded and yelled to the fed to his side, "Get him on the phone."

The phone rang and Bryant paced. "Who is calling afterhours?"

Charlie shifted uncomfortably, knowing it was Don, or some other fed calling. Negotiationgs. All the possibilities were running through his head. The man had six bullets, assuming that he hadn't fired any, and there were four hostages. Charlie thoguht back to yelling at Don. Statistically, Don had died that day at the bank shoot out. Statistically, Charlie was already dead. it wasn't normal to have a gun pointed at you and survive. Charlie chewed his lip and began to recite numbers. He was trying to think back to all the data he remembered from the original bank robbers... Charlie wanted to slip back into P NP, but tried to trick himself from it. He knew Don would be mad. Charlie chewed his lip. He and possibly the three others with him would die, in a shoot out, and Don was just outside... Don wouldn't protect him. Don couldn't. He had no control over the situation. The man in front of him did. Charlie blinked. The man was squatted in front of him yelling. Charlie ducked his head and curled into himself. The man tapped Charlie on the head with the gun, "Your brother wants to talk to you."

charlie looked up, "Don?"

"Yes Don," Bryant said exasperated, "Are you retarded?"

Charlie blinked, "No. Why?"

Bryant smirked, "You are quite the interesting person, Charlie. Now get up, and go to the fuckin phone."

Charlie slowly got up, his eyes on the gun, and walked over to the phone. He slowly picked it up, "Don?"

"Charlie, Charlie are you ok?" Don said through the phone.

"Don?"

"Charlie, answer me. Are you alright?"

Charlie looked at Bryant, "Yes. I'm fine. How are you?"

Don blinked, "Scared, buddy, but don't worry. we'll get you out of there safely."

"What about the others?"

"We'll get them out as well."

Charlie nodded, "Ok."

"Are you sure you're alright? how are you feeling? has Bryant hurt you?"

Charlie shook his head no. "I'm fine, Don. I've been thinking about... probability and statistically speaking, I think-"

"Charlie, you can't. You can't think math. You've got to do as Bryant says."

"Who is Bryant? Why aren't you in here? What does he want? What are you going to do? Are you going to save us?" Charlie was freaking out. He sank down to his knees, "I don't want to be here. I don't know what to do."

Bryant watched in fascination at Charlie's regression. Bryant suddenly stood up, taking advantage of Charlie's weakness. He grabbed the phone from Charlie, pointing the gun back at the mathmatician. "Listen good, Donnie, that could be the last time you hear from your little brother. I want safety out of here. I don't know how you knew I'd be here, but I am with your family, and will start killing."

Bryant hung up the phone and picked up Charlie by the collar. He leaned closely to him, "You did well, Charlie."

"Please don't hurt me. You're worrying Don." Charlie bit his lip again.

"You're so interesting, Charlie boy. When you're scared, you act like a child, and then you start spitting out statistics. What, you still in school or something?" Bryant said.

Charlie shook his head, "no... I'm a professor of Mathematics at CalSci. I... I'm a Dr."

Bryant raised his eyebrows. "Ok, so if I had three cash registers here, each with 500 dollars, plus a vault, how much would I have? Statistically speaking."

"How much is in a vault?"

"Statistically, millions."

"well..." Charlie blushed, "That would be your answer. You have 1500 up here, plus the vault of money coming in, which usually accounts for a million, due to large accounts. Then the vault has safety boxes, and there's no way to say how muc hthose are worth, or how to get into them."

Bryant laughed, "mathman Charlie... we're in this for the long haul. What should I do?"

"Let us go."

Bryant shook his head, "I can't. They'll kill me."

"No, they won't. Not if you do this peacefully. I'll go out with you, last, to make sure they won't kill you. Trust me." Charlie said, "I know this stuff... Don has taught me a lot."

Bryant shook his head, "They'll send me to jail. I need this money."

"we all need money."

Bryant raised an eyebrow and stuck the gun back into Charlie's face, "Not you. You're a professor of mathematics. A doctorate. You might as well be rich."

Charlie inhaled sharply and ducked his head, "I'm sorry bryant."

Bryant stood up, "Back to the others Charlie. and My name is Marty."

Charlie stood up and let himself be led to the others. He didn't know why Marty was nice to him just then, but decided that it was most likely the last time. The phone rang again and Marty answered, his gun still pointed at the crew, "Sure. One hostage for food? I want chinese. general tso's, and lo mein. Pizza for the others."

Marty turned to look at Charlie, "No. Charlie is staying. He will be the last one to go, or if i don't get out of here alive, he'll come with me."

charlie gulped. Why was he the favorite? What was wrong with him? Why was he such a target. Charlie began to recite math problems in his head. He couldn't focus on the situation. The three hostages next to him, two women and a man, were looking deeply relieved at the negotiations. One of them was going home. Charlie looked down. He was dead. He wouldn't live through this. Marty Bryant for some reason favored him, most likely due to being connected to Don, and he would die because of it. Charlie fell back into reciting numbers. Bryant walked over, "What are you doing?"

Charlie didn't see him and continued on talking. Marty pistol whipped Charlie, sending the curly haired man to the floor, his temple bleeding. Charlie winced in more pain, crying out, "Why!"

"What are you doing, I asked. I am in control, you answer me when I ask you questions." marty said.

Charlie blinked, his eyesight slightly blurring, "I'm sorry... I was reciting P NP... it's a mathematical problem that -"

"Is completely unsolvable. You musn't be very smart to be reciting problems that have no answer."

Charlie blinked, "You're smarter than this, Marty..." Charlie paused, the pain overwhelming, "I mean... you could've been something, and you ruined it."

Marty looked at Charlie, "You don't understand, and yuo never will. You're some rich professor with a fed for a brother. You will never know."

Marty stood up, and Charlie shut his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

tbc...


	2. chapter 2 endurance

Disclaimer: I do not own numb3rs.

Seemingly like seconds later, Charlie opened his eyes. He was on his back, with a rolled up jacket beneath his head. He turned to his side to see two of the bankers. The woman came over and grabbed the male, silently signalling. The male crawled over and placed a cloth over Charlie's head. Charlie blinked, "Who are you?"

"Tommy, and this is Margerie. We work here. Bryant is crazy. He thinks they're going to kill him for hurting you. Is your brother really FBI?"

"Don... Special Agent Don Eppes." Charlie croaked out. His stomach rumbled and he winced, "I hurt..."

The woman, Margerie, came over with some pizza. "here, eat this... it's not much, and its cold, but its all we have."

Charlie slowly took a bite and fell back. "No more."

"You need to eat. You slept through the night. I bet you didn't eat before coming to the bank." Tommy said.

Charlie turned his head away, "You two should convince Marty of what you're worth, and get out. The other lady was worth a pizza... what are you two worth?"

Tommy blinked, "What about you?"

"You heard him. I'll be the last. I might not survive this." Charlie sighed and forced himself up, his head pounding.

"Come on, you don't believe that." The woman said, "He's crazy..."

"What time is it?" Charlie muttered, shutting his eyes from the lights.

"eleven in the morning. You were out all night." Margerie said.

"I want to talk to Don." Charlie curled his knees to himself and blinked a few more times.

The woman looked worriedly at Tommy and crawled away, to get Marty. Marty marched over and threw Tommy aside. "You alright, Charlie? I didn't mean to hit you that hard... I don't know what I'm doing really..."

Charlie looked at Marty, his face pleading, "let us go."

"I can't do that."

"Please..."

Marty shook his head, "no."

Charlie dropped his head, "I'm going to die, aren't I?"

Marty blinked, "not if you're smart. I'm calling your brother again, telling him you're awake. He wants to send an EMT in."

Charlie paused, "what are you going to do with us? Let one of us go for an EMT?"

Suddenly, Margerie, who had been watching frantically, made a run for the door. Marty turned immediately, grabbing a second gun from behind his back and shot it. Margerie fell to the ground, dead instantly. Charlie's eyes widened as he saw the woman's dead body. She was dead, and his mind couldn't comprehend it. He had never seen someone dead like that. He never saw someone alive, and then watch them die. The phone began to ring immediately and Tommy began yelling for his friend. Marty began to shake and ran to the phone, picking it up and barking into it, "What?"

Charlie watched the blood seep from Margerie. He had never thought about the amount of blood before. It was far more than he expected. Her body was at such an unnatural angle. "Get up..." Charlie whispered to her, "Please get up..."

Charlie watched the blood and began to count how many squares of the small tile were being covered per second. It seemed like hours had passed as he thought about Margerie's body, when the clock had shown only five minutes. Charlie touched his face, and noted tears. Marty walked over, Tommy huddled as far from him as possible. Marty crouched down to Charlie, "I had to do it, Charlie, I can't let anyone go unless I say so."

Charlie shook his head, "You killed Margerie."

"Margerie was her name?"

Charlie looked shocked, "Yes. Her name was Margerie. You killed her."

"I had to." Marty said, "your brother wants to talk to you, and he wants you to bring out Margerie."

"Marty... I can't do that. I can't talk to Don. He'll... he'll make me talk about it." Charlie said, leaning back, forcing himself to stop looking at the body.

"Does Don make you do things?"

Charlie snorted, "Sorta... I help him with cases, and he gets disappointed by me easily. I'm sure he's half mad at me for getting myself into this as it were."

Marty raised an eyebrow, "This is my fault, not yours. You're just a hostage."

Charlie shrugged, "I should've figured it out. He always says I'm never paying attention. he says how can someone so smart, be so stupid."

Marty sat down beside Charlie, "I've got an older brother like that. I could never pass school, because it was so boring, and I knew everything, so i never went. He used to yell at me for it. he owns some factory somewhere, hasnt much use for calling me anymore."

"Don left. He came back about a year ago, hasn't left my life since. He came back for my mother." Charlie said. He was blaming his concussion for talking to Marty. "You see, I refused to see her while she was dying... i just couldn't handle it, and he hates me for it. He's hated me since she died. I never saw her, and he hates me for it. He hates how I solve his cases for him. He hates how I'm protected. He hates me. always has."

Marty laughed, "maybe we're long lost brothers. Don sounds a lot like Frank. Perfect Frank who has always hated me."

The two men sat in silence. Charlie sighed, "I should probably talk to Don."

Marty shrugged, "not much else for you to do. I mean, you're my hostage and all, and there isnt much for you to do, and that PNP crap is useless."

Charlie scrunched his nose and took the phone from Marty's hand, he said into it, "Hello?"

"Hello, Charlie, this is Terry."

"Where is Don?"

"He's blowing off some steam. are you alright? Tell me about your medical condition."

Charlie sighed, "I'm not shot. Margerie was shot. she's dead."

Terry inhaled sharply, "How are you feeling about that?"

"It's a part of life. she's dead. Statistically, one of us had to go. I mean, there might be a chance tommy and I will get out of here, but I doubt it. Say goodbye to Don when he stops thinking about himself." Charlie said, his voice deadpan and borderline simmering.

"Charlie, are you sure you're ok?"

"I'll bring Margerie out, like you want to. I'll follow the instructions."

"Charlie, you don't sound like yourself. Tell me what's going on." Terry said. "Don is on his way, here he is."

"No." Charlie said, and he hung up. He paused and looked at the phone, blinking. "Oh my god..."

Marty turned to Charlie, "what?"

"I just hung up on my brother. I'm going crazy."

"From what you told me just now, it seems like it's more sane. He doesn't care about you, he cares about his jobs. He always has if he's anything like my brother." Marty said.

Charlie nodded, "Lets get Margerie out there... she shouldn't stay here."

Marty turned towards the body and shivered, "I can't believe any of this. It wasn't supposed to go down this way."

Charlie turned to Marty, "I was supposed to cash a check and give it to my father. Not everything goes according to plan."

Marty nodded and dragged Tommy up. Marty had Tommy and Charlie roll Margerie onto one of the rugs. "Charlie, you drag her out, Tommy will hold the doors, and i'll have a gun on the both of you."

Once outside, the FBI had them surrounded, their guns pointed. Charlie blinked a few times in the sunlight. He focused on dragging Margerie while Marty had the gun pointed at Tommy. Charlie dropped her body and bent down, touching her face, her cold eyes open. he shut them and stood up. Don came walking slowly up to him and Charlie backed up. Don said quietly, "Charlie, move slowly towards me, and we can shoot Marty down."

"Kill more people?" Charlie hissed out, while stepping back, "I'm going to die."

"Bryant killed that woman." Don said.

Marty cocked his gun, "Get away from Charlie, or he dies. Don't you treat him badly enough? Do you want to be the reason for his death?"

Charlie stepped back, looking between Don and Marty. Charlie stepped back from the both of them, feeling confused. Terry watched as Charlie's shaking hands rubbed his temples. He looked terrible, and needed a medic. Don looked towards his retreating brother, "Charlie, listen to me..."

Marty pulled his second gun out and said to Charlie, "Hey... stay with me... you understand me, Charlie... You get the mathematics, you get the older brother thing..."

"charlie, don't listen to him." don said, "Don't listen to him."

"Don just orders you around, Charlie. With our brains, we'll get out of this alive, he's willing to risk you. You know that." Marty said.

Charlie looked at Marty and nodded. Marty threw his second gun and Charlie caught it, pointing it at his own head. Don let out a cry of surprise. "Charlie! No! Don't do this, don't go this route. I need you."

"You don't get it, don." Charlie yelled out.

"Charlie," Don said, "You can't trust him-"

Charlie cocked the gun, "I CAN'T TRUST ANYONE! I'm statistically dead, remember? And now I'm beating the odds."

Don put his gun down and took a step towards Charlie, "Just put the gun down, Charlie, and we'll talk this through."

"OK... let's talk... Dad needs his check. I just wanted to cash dad's check. He's probably really worried." Charlie began to pace, Marty watching in fascination, holding the gun tighter on Tommy. It appeared that Charlie was falling apart.

Don nodded, "that's fine, Charlie. You can cash the check today, or tomorrow."

"No, I had to go yesterday and this happened. I hurt and I'm confused, and margerie is dead... she's dead. Did you see me? I carried her body... and ... and there's a lot of blood... and Marty is making sense... I might not live... i don't know..."

"Marty is a murderer." Don said.

Charlie faltered his gun, lowering it from his temple, dropping his head. Marty, realizing that Charlie was being convinced, yelled out, "You degrade him, Don! You hate him, and resent him, and he knows it!"

"Shut it, Bryant, you don't know anything about me and Charlie." Don hissed out.

"I don't?" Marty laughed, "You're all the same. Older brothers who are less intelligent then their younger siblings are all the same. You resent Charlie for being smart. You're jealous. You yell at him, say you're disappointed. Hell, I bet you wish he were normal."

Charlie yelled out, pointing the gun at Don, "I need to think. I need you to let me think. Just let me think."

Marty jumped, "Way to go, Charlie! Stick up for yourself against that bastard."

"Just give me some time..." Charlie said and walked back towards the bank, Marty in tow. The three of them entered, locking the door behind them. Don watched, shocked. Charlie had just went from innocent bystander to criminal in one nod. Charlie turned to Marty, "What do you want to do?"

"Whatever, Charlie, we'll do whatever we want. You're smart. You do as I say, and we'll get out of here alive. we'll use Tommy, get out of here. Rich, free..." Marty seemed excited.

Charlie nodded, his voice deadpan still, "sure thing, Marty... I'm just... confused. I don't understand... what did I just do!"

Marty smiled and draped an arm around Charlie's shoulder, he turned him towards the glass door, waving to the feds. He pointed the gun at Charlie's chest. "we're in this together now. Those people out there... nothing. You and I are smarter than all of them."

Charlie blinked and dropped his head. He just wanted to fall asleep and not wake up. it should have been him dead, not Margerie. He should've listened to Don. Don would hate him for sure now. Don has always hated him. Charlie blinked away tears.

Don stood, gawking at the door and Terry walked up to him, "Don, come here, I've got news on Charlie."

"He's a criminal. He..." Don stuttered.

"Sortof, he's got Stockholm Syndrome, I'm assuming. It's when the captive takes the side of the captor, roughly. It's brainwashing due to abuse." Terry placed a hand on Don's arm.

"He's only been in there-"

"Overnight, with little food and a he's got social anxieties. You saw his face, he was bleeding and bruised, and watched someone die, and then had to move her body. He is forced to sit and look at blood, for hours. Charlie is in rough shape, it makes sense that he and Bryant are getting along, especially since Bryant is a feeding him lies. Charlie feels like there are a lot of things in this situation that are his fault." Terry explained.

"It's almost the same set up as that bank heist. He couldn't handle that his calculations didn't account for the shootout." Don said, "This is making more sense."

Terry nodded, "Charlie is very confused right now. He's traumatized."

"Will he hurt others?"

terry shrugged, "I hope not."

"How about himself?"

"We'll gedt to him before anything happens, Don, I promise." Terry said quietly.

Don nodded.

tbc...


	3. chapter 3 recovery?

Disclaimer: I do not own numb3rs.

Charlie rested on his haunches, the gun resting on his head. Marty was all smiles and shoved Tommy in the corner, who merely looked at Charlie accusingly. "Charlie!" Marty said, laughing, "That was great! You showed those coppers who was in charge! Incredible!"

Charlie's eyes turned dark, "Sure."

"What?" Marty said, his voice dripping with venom, "Second thoughts now? You're in this till the end. You held a gun at a police officer. Tell me that you learned enough from that tool of a brother that you're in big trouble."

"Whatever you say, Marty." charlie said, "I'm in it till the end."

Marty pointed to the ceiling and shot three times, "WOO! We're like cowboys! You and I, Charlie, You and I!"

Charlie placed his gun in the back of his pants and nodded, "What next?"

The phone rang again and Marty grinned, "You make some demands. Maybe we can get some clothes or something... a bandage for that head of yours. Sorry about that, by the way, but the end justifies the means."

Charlie walked over to the phone and Marty grinned, "Remember we're in this till the end, don't do anything stupid." At this point, Marty placed the gun at Charlie's head. Charlie shook some more and answered the phone, "h-hello?"

"Charlie, It's Don. How you holding up?"

"I'm scared, Don." Charlie said quickly.

Marty pointed the gun slightly infront of Charlie's feet and shot. Charlie jumped and screamed. "CHARLIE!" Yelled out Don's voice over the phone, "CHARLIE!"

Marty hissed in charlie's ear, "next bullet is yours."

"I'm here... I've... I've..." Charlie began to hyperventilate, "I've got some demands."

Don audibly sighed in relief, "Tell me if you're ok.'

"I'm ok."

"OK, listen Charlie, Here's out plan - "

"No." Charlie said, "I'm taking orders from everyone. and...and..." Charlie trailed off, looking at the blood on the floor, "Oh god, the blood is still here... I'm going to give some of the orders."

Don nodded and softly said, "Ok, Charlie, talk to me."

"chalkboards. I need my chalkboards, but if that's too hard, I'd like a pen and some paper. but if you get chalkboards, I need chalk." Charlie's voice was small.

"Do you need to write?" Don asked.

"My head is full."

"Ok, Charlie, but we need proof that Thomas is alright."

Charlie blinked and turned to Thomas, "Are you alright?"

Tommy nodded and Charlie said to Don, "he said he's alright."

"We need proof, Charlie, and we'll get you both out safely." Don replied.

Charlie turned to Marty, "he needs proof that Thomas is alive."

Marty yanked Tommy from the floor and dragged him towards the door. "Don't shoot, Don, it's marty and tommy. marty is armed."

Marty opened the door and marched Tommy out, gun in the banker's back. The FBI agents moved closer, guns still raised. Marty shot once into the crowd of feds and then kicked Tommy to the ground, before rushing into the bank. Charlie yelled into the phone, "DON! DON?"

"I'm here... what the fuck was that?" Don yelled.

"Are you ok? Did I get you shot?" Charlie demanded.

"No, Charlie. Bryant missed everyone. We're ok, and you're alone now."

Charlie had tears running down his face. Marty had placed the gun to Charlie's head again. Charlie croaked out, "Don. I want my demands met."

"OK, you gave us Tommy, we can get you what you want."

Marty yelled out, "Ask for a car out of here, NOW!"

"Charlie," Don said, "Take deep breaths. Don't let him scare you."

Charlie shut his eyes and took a deep breath. He paused, as if something occured to him. Charlie set the phone down, placing it on speaker. "No more demands, Marty."

Marty pointed the gun at Charlie's face, "big mistake. Big fuckin mistake."

Charlie took his gun out and pointed it at MArty,"You've got a six shooter and you have no more bullets."

Marty shifted feet, "Fuck you Charlie. Say goodbye to your brother now, you'll never see him again. I'm going to kill you."

"Charlie," Don's voice cracked over the speaker, "Don't do anything stupid."

"That man humiliates you, Charlie!" yelled Marty, "listen to me!"

"One at my feet." Charlie said, his voice icy and deadpan, "One at Don. three in the air, and one at..." charlie's voice cracked and he openly was crying. He yelled out, "AND ONE AT MARGERIE! You made me CARRY her dead body!"

"Hey, she killed herself Charlie!" marty said, knowing he was losing this battle, "come on, it's you and I till the end, Charlie."

"Don," Charlie said, "you've got five seconds to stop me. One... Two..."

On three, the feds were through the door and had Marty on the ground in handcuffs, screaming. Charlie stared straight ahead, still holding the gun as if Marty was in front of him. Don walked up to Charlie, "Hey... Hey buddy, It's me, Don. You're safe, you can put the gun down. You saved the day."

"I... I need a chalkboard." Charlie muttered, his eyes blank.

Don nodded, "Whatever you want, Charlie, it's over now. Put down the gun for me."

Charlie's arm dropped and Don took the gun, quickly passing it off to another fed. Don took Charlie into his arms and led him to the ambulance. Charlie sat down, letting the EMTs tend to his injuries. Charlie hadn't known that he had been bleeding from the pistol whip. Charlie suddenly heard Don's voice, and was shaken from his reverie, "Charlie! Look at me, please!"

Charlie turned his head towards Don, "You're here."

"Yeah, I am, and you're safe buddy."

Charlie reached out and fell into Don's arms, who comforted his little brother. Charlie cried out, "help me... I want to go home..."

"You gotta go to the hospital first. I'm going with you. Terry is picking up Larry and Dad."

"No." charlie said.

"Charlie, you need to get medical attention."

"Just give me a sedative... or something to forget... Marty was so confused. He wasn't bad. He wasn't all bad, Don."

"Marty was a murderer."  
"Make it end. All of it, Don, can you do that for me?" Charlie muttered out.

Don shook his head, "It's over, Charlie, and you won."

Charlie had been going to therapy regularly. He had stopped teaching and consulting for the FBI. Majority of the time, Charlie performed basic tasks, and spoke basic sentences. He had a set routine. he would clean the house, check the mail, make lunch for him and alan, do the laundry, clean the dishes, and any other small tasks. when he wasnt doing these things, he sat in his room. His chalkboards were untouched. The FBI had given Charlie an award, but Charlie refused to recieve it publicly. It was only with Don's bidding that he accepted it at all. Don would come over for dinner daily. Today was no different, except this time, Charlie was by the koi pond. It was the first normal activity of Charlie's in weeks. Don sat beside Charlie, "Hey buddy."

Charlie responded by leaning his head on Don's shoulder. "bad day?" Don inquired.

"Alright Day." Charlie responded.

"How's dad?"

"He worries about me."

"I can see why. I heard you went to Margerie's grave today."

Charlie nodded and sat up, "yup."

"And?"

"and, I bumped into her daughter. She's a sweet girl, misses her mother." Charlie's voice cracked, "She thanked me."

"You're a hero."

"I don't feel like a hero."

"No one said you had to. Charlie, I think it's time you started to leave the house. I'm here to take you out to dinner."

Charlie shook his head no. "It'll happen again."

"You know that's not going to happen. Think of your statistics."

Charlie nodded, "I know, I just thought I could avoid it forever. How're your cases? Terry?"

Don smiled, "Ah, the subject change. Terry misses you, as does everyone else. In fact, they'd like to bring you back in, see how you're doing."

"I'm useless to them, Don."

"No, you're not. You just are dealing with a lot of trauma that happened in a short time frame. You'll get through it, and luckily for you, today is your day, so go grab anything you need."

Charlie looked disbelievingly at Don and then got up, sighing. "I'll be ready in a minute."

Don smiled and followed Charlie into the house. It would take time, but Charlie, in the end, trusted Don. Charlie would recover.

finis


End file.
